


Petals

by pinkdrinks



Category: Rune Factory (Video Games), Rune Factory 2: A Fantasy Harvest Moon
Genre: F/M, THIS IS FOR SANDY MY BEST FRIEND AND MY QPP AND I LOVE HER SO MUCH HAPPY BIRTHDAY, i'm sorry if this doesn't make a ton of sense?, that's it i think??, the barredoro flowershop au you've been waiting for, warning: swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-30
Updated: 2015-12-30
Packaged: 2018-05-10 09:21:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,195
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5580058
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pinkdrinks/pseuds/pinkdrinks
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Barrett and Dorothy haven't spoken in years, since graduating high school.<br/>Today, Barrett is determined to speak to her again.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Petals

**Author's Note:**

  * For [liarouge](https://archiveofourown.org/users/liarouge/gifts).



> some stuff to know about our au:  
> * Barrett and Dorothy used to work at the flower shop together in high school, until Barrett went on to University and Dorothy had to stay behind. (I WILL PAY YOU TEN DOLLARS TO ASK ME OR SANDY ABOUT DOROTHY)  
> * Illuminata is the manager, Amber also works there part time.  
> * Barrett is a Professor at the University  
> * I AM VERY UNCONFIDENT ABOUT MY BARRETT VOICE,, i'm sorry if he is ooc aaargh!! I am not used to writing Emo Stoic Nerds.  
> * Barredoro is very important

Today is the day. It's the day he's marked in his little pocket calendar, the day he has scribbled in the margins of essays he's been grading while daydreaming about freckles and pretty red eyes. It's the day he's fallen asleep thinking about, and woken up thinking about, while struggling into his worn boots.  
Today is the day Barrett talks to Dorothy, who works at the flower shop on the way to the university. Well, kind of on the way. The walk is about ten minutes longer this route but it's worth it.

  
He hasn't seen her since high school but today, definitely, no more excuses, absolutely positively is the day Barrett will finally speak to her again.

✿ ❀ ✿

Or not. Here's what happened.

  
Things were going great. After Barrett dismissed his students, he gathered his things and hurried off before someone could beg him to change a grade or ask for a letter of recommendation. He had to hurry or he'd lose his nerve, as he'd done once or twice or ten times before.

  
He passed the farmer's market, still (relatively) confident, pace still brisk. He waved a small hello to Kyle, who was showing off a picture of his wife, Mana, to a customer who looked like they were in a hurry. They probably did not ask to see her.

  
Then, he stepped in dog poop. Mission aborted.

  
✿ ❀ ✿

  
' _Today_ is the day,' Barrett swore to himself as he passed the farmer's market, still (relatively) confident, pace still brisk. He waved a small hello to Kyle, who, again, was showing off a picture of his wife, Mana, and newborn daughter Aria, to a customer who looked ready to scream. They too probably did not ask to see them.

  
He passed the coffee shop, a little less confident because, what if she wasn't there? No, wait, she definitely was. Dorothy was always outside on Tuesday afternoons, sweeping up and offering Barrett a stumbled hello in a soft sweet voice while Barrett tried not to sprint past her. His pace slowed a bit.

  
He passed Le Porcoline, even less confident because he felt kind of hungry so maybe he should eat first? It would be embarrassing if his stomach growled while talking to her. No. No! Stay on track Barrett! Don't lose your nerve! His feet hesitated a bit when he caught a whiff of, oh, Porco's special baked salmon? His feet stopped, took a step back, then forward, back again. He kept going, but not without a glance back. His pace was a fraction of what it was before.

  
Then it came into view, What in Carnation flower shop, the bane of Barrett's existence, his ex-job. Who named that place? The whole time he worked there he never knew.  
She wasn't outside though. Damn it, that meant he'd have to go inside.

  
He peeked in, cursing under his breath when a young girl rushing out the door rudely announced his arrival. "Dorothy, I'm leaving!! Also you've got a customer!"  
Barrett felt clammy when her voice rang out from the back of the store, "Goodbye Amber! I'll be right there!!"

  
Barrett definitely did not panic and shove his hands into an arrangement of daffodils in order to look occupied, except that is exactly what he did.

  
Finally, she emerged from the back room, tripping a little in her haste, and, god, there was a pink flower petal in her hair. She must have been working on an arrangement back there. Barrett felt an urge to pick out the petal, and then an urge to slap himself in the face immediately after.

  
"-elp you?"

  
Shit. She was talking.

  
"Uh. What?"

  
She looked down, fiddled with her fingers, before repeating, "Um! U-um, can I help you? With something?"

  
Then it hit him. Barrett had no clue what to say to her after all these years. He couldn't just say, "Hey, remember me? Barrett? We were really close and I'm so happy to see you again. You're still as beautiful as ever and I'm still in really deep. How about a date?"  
So, he said the next best thing.

  
"Uh, I'm fine. Leave me alone? Don't bother me." Fuck! Shit! What the fuck! No!

"Oh, I'm! I'm s-so sorry!! I-I'm really sorry! L-let me know when you're ready, I'm so sorry!"

Oh my god he fucked up, he REALLY fucked up.

"Wait. Hang on. I uh. I do need help I guess. I need a flower."

Dorothy glanced up at him hopefully, shit why was she so cute?

"Oh, um! What... what kind of flower?"

Barrett clenched his fist. What kind of flower indeed, Barrett, you FOOL.

"Uh, I. Isn't that your job? To tell me what flower is best for me?" Fool! Foolish!! Just go home already and accept your mission was a failure!!

"O-oh, I'm sorry! You're right! So then you want a flower that fits your image?"

That's stupid, Barrett wanted to say, because who would do that, who would go to a flower shop and ask for a flower that describes they themselves as a person. Nobody. Nobody with a clue what they were doing, at least.

"Uh, sure..."

"Okay, I can do that! But, um," she paused and gave him a small shy smile, "It's been a while Barrett... I don't really... know-"

Barrett's heart stopped because, she remembers him! Dorothy remembers him and she's smiling at him and she is so so unbearably pretty and oh boy his face is _burning_.

"L-look, I'm in a hurry right now-"

"Oh..."

"So, you can meet me at Le Porco's for lunch on Saturday and we can... we can catch up then?" Barrett's voice cracking at the end was rude and uncalled for, an utter betrayal.

"..."

"..."

"......"

"....Well?"

"Oh! I-I'd be happy to! I can freshen up on my flower language!"

She glanced at the daffodils Barrett still had his hands buried in, "Did you know daffodils symbolize new beginnings?"

"I-I did not," Barrett replied gruffly, lifting his scarf to cover his blush. (Except he did know, he remembered when she told him back in high school one day during lunch while she read aloud to him from her new flower language book and he considered whether or not she'd let him hold her hand.)

He started for the door, unnerved when Dorothy hurried behind him (to close up shop.)

At the door, Barrett came upon the shocking realization that he had just successfully (?) stumbled through a conversation with his high school crush and (clumsily) got himself a date. Feeling emboldened, he stopped and turned suddenly, which caused her to bump into him and squeak out three apologies in two seconds.  
Once Dorothy met his eyes, Barrett lifted a hand and picked the petal out of her hair, "I'm happy to see you again."

She stared at him before meekly replying, "Same here! I'm really-"

Barrett nodded curtly, "Yeah. I'll see you Saturday," and turned and power walked away before Dorothy could catch a peek of his burning face.

✿ ❀ ✿

Safe in his apartment, Barrett thought about crimson eyes, freckles, pink petals in pale hair, and if he couldn't stop smiling, well, that was nobody's business but his own.

 

**Author's Note:**

> talk to me about modern au rf4/rf2!  
> tumblr: tohruhonda (main), ambrosiasthorns (rf shitposting blog)  
> twitter: @playrf4
> 
> HAPPY BIRTHDAY SANDY I LOVE YOU SOOOO MUCH thank u for ur gift last week i am still dead  
> please talk to sandy about barredoro
> 
> reflection: this fic is important to me bc it is the second fic i wrote in a rly long time and it gave me more experience and i honestly love it?? I FINISHED IT ON TIME and it was soooo fun to write!!!


End file.
